How to update DNS for Google Apps

May 7, 2010

Google Apps is a business platform that allows Google applications or applications integrated with Google services to work on a custom domain. The Apps service cost 50 dollars per user per year. The underlying concept behind the Apps platform is to allow Google to compete in the business SAS (Service as software) market and to gain more corporate and business users–essentially putting them in higher competition with Microsoft.

In order to get the Apps platform to work for your domain, you will need to modify the CNAME and MX records to direct your domain or sub-domains to the Google platform.

Modifying MX Records For Email Access

You will need to find out what company manages (or controls) your domain. For example, you may have purchased your domain through Network Solutions, but you may have moved control to another company (DNS).

To modify the MX records (the records that relate to email), you will need to manage the DNS information. Many companies have different names for this service from zone files to advanced DNS manager.

Here is the configuration info for Google’s Mail Servers:

Priority

Mail Server

1

ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.

5

ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.

5

ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.

10

ASPMX2.GOOGLEMAIL.COM.

10

ASPMX3.GOOGLEMAIL.COM.

Here is a sample of one particular web host’s control panel where you will change the MX record:

Updating CNAME records for use sub-domain with Google Apps

In order to have your custom domain work with Google Apps, you will need to update the CNAME record with Google’s DNS URL. Google will provide you with a domain alias instead of an IP (A record), which will allow Google to perform load balancing and assign an IP dynamically.

Changing your CNAME for the domain (with your domain manager) will be your first step.

Host Name/Alias

Value/Destination

Custom URL: www

ghs.google.com

Verification: googlefffggghhh12345 (your unique string)

google.com.

Following the CNAME update for your domain (sub domain), you can proceed to the second step: updating the configuration for domains on your Google Apps account. (See images below). Changes to your DNS settings may take up to 48 hours to propagate throughout the Internet.

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